Enjoying North America while earning a living...

I kept a day by day journal the first 5 years I was enjoying North America. While earning a living,I kept track of where I went, often what I did, feelings I had and various other details. I am writing this blog day by day as I lived it. The month/day I lived it is the same as the month/day I write about it. The years are obviously different...thus the days title: ie: August 30, 1989, 2009.

About Me

My photo
Starting as a preschooler, I remember my Grandfather bringing me rocks from his trips he took after he retired. Each rock had a story to tell. In the sixth grade, I watched a freeway be built and then wondered where all the trucks would go. I remember in high school looking at the mountains and wanting to travel. I did many jobs BEFORE trucking but I always wondered what driving would by like. I really wanted to see things and drive a big truck. So after almost finishing nursing school, a divorce and three cute little kids, I became a truck driver. While earning a living, I found myself enjoying North America and seeing the land and people. NO ONE ENJOYED TRAVELING MORE THAN ME. There are two things I have enjoyed in this life and they are traveling and writing. I use to call myself "Protourist" but my Mother-in-law and Wife would become upset with me as they know I really love THE "travel" and not THE stopping to see things. I now call myself "protraveller"(I like it with a double "L") and my Mother-in-law and Wife are now happy!!! I love to write and this blog gives me the opportunity to share my past and thoughts with the public.

About this blog's layout...BLOG UPDATED ONCE PER DAY...

I follow my journal daily by writing under the daily title, "FIRST 5 YEARS:" The first five years will strictly follow my 5 year journal. If I find the day I am writing about to be boring, I will either write about thoughts I remember(placed under the title of "SECOND 5 YEARS"), write a trucker tale(placed under "A Trucker's Tale"), give a helpful trucker hint, ask a "student driver" question or do something.....When a location appears after the day of the week after "FIRST 5 YEARS:", it is where I am at the start of that day((IE: FIRST 5 YEARS: (Sunday-Kansas City, Missouri))..... I would encourage those that find themselves enjoying North America to follow me day by day.....REMEMBER: THIS IS A BLOG ABOUT WHAT LIFE IS LIKE FOR A TRUCKER THAT DOES NOT HAVE A DAILY ROUTINE ROUTE(called a "dedicated" route). THERE WILL BE MANY TIMES WHEN THE ROUTING, SCENERY AND DAY'S ACTIVITIES WILL BE SIMILAR(boring???) TO PREVIOUS DAYS; THAT'S TRUCKING! THERE WILL BE DAYS WHEN THE ROUTING, SCENERY AND DAY'S ACTIVITIES WILL BE TOTALLY NEW; THAT'S TRUCKING. Frustrations? I mention the frustrations I had as a driver. I loved my job while earning a living and realized that all jobs have frustrations; truck driving is, and was, no different..... Many pictures on this blog can be left-clicked and made larger.....Questions?...Please E-mail PT at fabalt2000@centurylink.net


Blog Dictionaries...

The Trucking Dictionary...words in this dictionary will many times appear highlighted. If a word isn't highlighted or in the blog dictionary and sounds "different", check it out in this dictionary. Please note: Many times when clicking on these dictionaries anywhere in the blog, the first thing that comes up is an advertisement which I have no control over.
The Blog Dictionary...This dictionary contains words I use that aren't "trucker" words and thus not in the "trucking dictionary". I separate them--the dictionaries--in case someone wants to copy the trucking dictionary for personal use. This dictionary also contains names of people(not real names) that I dealt with many times through my trucking career. Blog word found in this dictionary often will be licked to it.
DAILY UPDATES SHOULD BE UP BY NOON CST...

April 21, 2010

April 21, 1990, 2010

FIRST 5 YEARS:(Saturday- Red Oak, Texas)
Interesting morning...Woke up around 3:30 AM CST and just laid there 'til about 4 AM CST. Got up and couldn't go back to sleep. Walked around tractor in time to see a meteor(shooting star) and then a second one follow it, both about the same brightness. My paperwork was caught up so I just did some writing until the terminal opened at 6 AM CST.

Went into the terminal and waited a little until the terminal manager got his “head on straight”. He saw the note from the fellow who closed the terminal down last night about getting me a decent load as I had helped a driver by giving mine up. He reviewed what loads he had and offered me a couple, of which was a tire load to Florida. A 2 drop load starting in Sanford, Florida and ending in Orlando. I took it.

I was on my way to Florida by 8 AM CST after filling my tanks(98 gallons) Took I-35E to I-20 east where I followed it across the LONG stretch of Texas into Louisiana. Stopped at “Just a Truckstop for lunch and hung around for close to an hour. Headed east on I-20 again and traveled through the area of Louisiana that had heavy smells of oil refineries. If you are not use to the smell, then it is pretty strong as you get close to it. Crossed the Mississippi River into Mississippi at Vicksburg. I love the scenery through this part of the country... Got through Jackson, Mississippi and took Hwy 49 to the southeast. Went through the streets of Hattiesburg, Mississippi and it wasn't one of my favorite cities. After Hattiesburg, took Hwy 98 southeast. Got to Beaumont, Mississippi (8 PM CST) where I found a convenience store with truck parking. There I took my 8 hour break...
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